Our world can always use a little more warmth, kindness and patience, seems we all like a ‘challenge’ (as long as it’s not that challenging) so here is ours, with a candy cane twist.

Note! Here are all the things you don’t need to worry about with our challenge:

You don’t have to check-in with anyone…except yourself

You don’t have to do all the tasks to be successful – honestly just doing the bonus task everyday will make things brighter

You don’t have to do them in order…pick, chose, omit, or even add your own!

AND (in my view this is best of all) you don’t need to sign-up, or give us your email address to access the ‘challenge’…it’s all here in this post, ready and waiting for you to save or print or come back to.

Life can be hard on any given day but often more so around holidays. Making a conscious decision to spread some warmth and kindness will not only make your day better but will absolutely (money-back-guarantee-absolutely) make those around you, even strangers, feel appreciated, respected and loved.

So, what are you waiting for? Get started!! Let us know how you get along…which one is your favourite? Which do you already do? How many can you tick off the list?

No matter which holiday you mark or how you chose to celebrate, I wish you VERY best of the season.

For me, the phrase ‘the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month’ has always held great power and significance. It represents not only history – the end of the Great War, the First World War, the ‘war to end all wars’ – but also the moment in modern life when we are meant to stop, reflect and remember.

However, I have noticed that in my lifetime (and I’m not that old) many people have ‘stopped stopping’ for those two minutes, they don’t always take the time for this small observance; instead they plough through, ignoring it, or simply forgetting to pause. Not only are they themselves missing an opportunity to stop and reflect, but they are often actively intruding on those who do want to mark that time with silence.

In our constant modern rush we very rarely stop, let alone in silence and stillness. I truly believe that we owe it not only to history but to the future, to pause and reflect for those two minutes – perhaps more now than ever.

The power of the two-minute silence is that it is based in humanity. It is time to reflect on what we owe all the men and women, past and present, who have helped shape our countries both in times of war and times of peace. They lived through events we can never imagine and hope never to experience; recognizing this and showing our gratitude is the least we can do.

Here are five ways to ensure you not only stop for those few minutes but also help encourage others to do the same. These apply whether the 11th falls on a weekday or weekend.

The sale of poppies in Commonwealth countries not only supports the vital work of the Legions in those countries (Royal Canadian Legion,Royal British Legion among others) but also serves as an important physical reminder of past wars and conflicts.

When should I wear my poppy?

I’ve been asked whether it’s acceptable to wear a poppy year-round. While it’s a nice thought to show support throughout the year, the impact of the symbol starts to wane over time, so it’s best to restrict it to a few weeks a year.

Some people like to wait until after Hallowe’en, however, poppies traditionally go on sale on the last weekend in October, so anytime from then through November 11th is appropriate.

Note that in the United Kingdom the observance of ‘Remembrance Sunday’ sometimes takes place on the Sunday after November 11th (as is the case this year), therefore you may wish to keep your poppy on through to the end of that day.

Where do I wear my poppy?

There are many people who feel strongly about this. Left side, right side? On a cap or hat, or not?

Do compliments make you uncomfortable? Do you start to *argue* about how deserved they are? Does the whole thing descend into a conversational quagmire?

You’re not alone but there’s help!

I have a TWO WORD solution for you. Click the video to hear all about it!

I’m also delighted to showcase our NEW online Dining Etiquette course! It’s been put together with love and attention and will take you through all the steps you need to head to any event…and there are quizzes!

Go on, let your curiosity get the better of you and head to the course info page! There you will find a full outline, more about me and my background, AND a chance to peek at some of the videos: http://polishedprofessionals.teachable.com

If you’d like to join chats about ‘all things etiquette & manners’, then feel free to check out our Facebook group: The Snapdragon Society for Polished Professionals and Etiquette Enthusiasts https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheSnapdragonSociety/ We’d love to see you there!

(for the purposes of this blog I’m going to assume you use it…otherwise you’ve probably already stopped reading)

Whether you love it, hate it, or are ambivalent towards it, it probably takes up at least a little bit of your time and your energy.

I happen to love it. Sure it has pros and cons but over the years it has kept me in touch with friends and family from all over the world, and that is a true gift.

However, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the ‘like’ button – how do you ‘like’ a post that is sad or makes you angry? So, I was delighted when FB introduced a wider rage of emoticons – THESE, I figured, would solve that trickiness. But have they?

With so many choices, it should be easy to click the right one, right? But that doesn’t always seem to be the case. I’ve noticed that some posts create a bit of a conundrum, an ’emotion commotion’, if you will. Maybe it’s just me, maybe I’m overthinking (wouldn’t be the first time) but in case I’m not alone I thought I’d bring it up.

The posts I’m talking about are the ones that cause me to stop and think about which button to click. This has come up a few times in the last couple of days, most recently when a friend’s mother died. The post was, of course, incredibly sad but the way she had written it was beautiful and loving.

So, in these circumstances which emoticon fits? The only one we can rule out for certain is the ‘laughing’ one. But let’s look at the others:

I might like what she wrote, even if what she wrote was sad.

Perhaps I want to send love to her.

Maybe I’m surprised at her news.

I’m certainly sad for her.

And just maybe I’m bubbling up with anger, on her behalf, that she’s lost her mum.

They all fit, one way or another, so there is a decision to be made. How do I convey the right thing, or more importantly, the thing that will bring comfort to my friend?

In the end I chose the ❤️ , partly because the sad face felt too sad, too visceral, but also because I wanted to send her warmth and love. I also followed it up with a comment that said as much.

But these decisions aren’t limited to personal posts. There have been other kinds that have caused me pause as well. The one’s where the shared content makes me feel one way, but the poster’s comment makes me feel another. In those moments, I do stop and think about what I want to communicate.

I realize that on the face of it this might seem like a silly thing to think about, let alone give time and effort to write about. But is it?

In this day in age when SO much of our communication hinges on ‘likes’, quick comments and passing clicks, these things take on far more meaning. Therefore, perhaps we need to be putting MORE thought, not less, into what we’re ‘saying’.

In my first article, Networking: How To Stop Dreading It, and Start Enjoying It (Really!) I explored the main problem most of us have with networking, and that is our attitude toward it. Most of us only do it when we have to, and even then, we do it grudgingly. In this article, I share my top 12 tips for improving your networking experience.

Need proof that these things matter?

A 2014 survey of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, placed 'People skills and Relationship-building’ at the top of the list of desirable attributes for employees - a full five places above 'Technical Skills'.

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Did you know?

The Maxims of Ptahhotep were written during the Egyptian Fifth Dynasty (ca. 2414-2375 BC). In them Ptahhotep extols virtues such as truthfulness, listening to others and kindness - proving that these attributes are timeless.